Pictured: parents of boy who caused Harambe the gorilla to be shot dead

Parents: Deonne Dickerson and Michelle Gregg
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Kiran Randhawa31 May 2016

The father of a four-year-old boy who caused a gorilla to be shot dead at a Cincinnati Zoo is a convicted drug dealer who has spent time in prison, it is claimed today.

Harambe, a 17-year-old silverback gorilla, was killed by zoo staff after the boy climbed a barrier and fell 15 feet into an enclosure on Saturday.

These are the first pictures of the unnamed boy’s parents. Michelle Gregg, 32, and Deonne Dickerson, 36, have suffered an online backlash from animal lovers and been accused of neglectful parenting.

Mr Dickerson was sentenced to a year in jail in 2006 for drug trafficking, said the Daily Mail.

Manhandled: Footage captured the moment the boy was grabbed by the 400lb gorilla
WLWT

However the father-of-four appears to have turned his life around and currently works as a sorter at a Cincinnati industrial equipment supplier. Ms Gregg is an administrator at a nursery.

The director of the Zoo insisted the 3ft barrier around the gorilla enclosure was adequate. More than 200,000 people signed online petitions on Change.org to protest the shooting, some demanding “Justice for Harambe” and urging police to hold the child’s parents accountable.

Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens said:“The barriers are safe. The trouble with barriers is that whatever the barrier some people can get past it. ..No, the zoo is not negligent.”

Mr Maynard stood by the decision to shoot the gorilla after he dragged the boy around by the ankle. He said the ape was not simply endangering the child but actually hurting him.

“Looking back, we would make the same decision. The gorilla was clearly agitated. The gorilla was clearly disoriented,” said Mr Maynard, while lamenting the loss of “an incredibly magnificent animal.”

Terrifying: Zoo visitors watched helplessly at 17-year-old gorilla Harambe dragged the child around the enclosure (Reuters/Cincinnati Zoo)
Cincinnati Zoo/Reuters

The zoo received thousands of messages of sympathy and support from around the world, he said. Zookeepers are to review the barrier but he made no promise to redesign it.

Animal lovers turned their anger toward the parents while mourning the death of the gorilla, lighting candles and holding “Rest in Peace” signs at the vigil.

Ms Gregg, who identified herself on Facebook as his mother, asked others not to judge her because “accidents happen.” She said her son was recovering from a concussion and a few scrapes.

The parents faced worldwide condemnation for allowing their boy to fall into the enclosure
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A family statement on Sunday expressed condolences for the animal’s death.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks for the quick action by the Cincinnati Zoo staff,” the statement said.

“We know that this was a very difficult decision for them, and that they are grieving the loss of their gorilla.”

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